How Fire Saved Me
by CecilyLightworm
Summary: Suddenly being moved to the United States from London, Rachel's airplane suddenly explodes on the way there. Not until Leo Valdez saved her, that is.
1. Chapter 1

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Why didn't anyone tell me I was going to be shipped off to some foreign country to camp?

I've never been any where _near_ the borders of the United States, much less with those Americans and unusual customs they do. They don't even have tea time there! I don't know how I'll survive, or how long. Mum isn't happy about it either, with me gone it leaves more time to watch her favorite evening soap operas and moping about in the house.

I'm leaving first thing tomorrow for Long Island, New York for the next 3 months of my wretched summer, go me.

"You're Miss Rachel Arabella Seraphina Park right?"

I sighed, taking off my sunglasses and gazing my amber-green eyes up at the young flight attendant.

"Yes, I am," I murmured sharply. "Do I not look like a passenger?"

"No, no! Its just that I couldn't help but smell your delicious scent!" He smiled too quickly.

Disgusted at his remark, I smiled sarcastically back and went back to my magazine.

Weird. It wasn't everyday I experienced special attention, especially from someone who didn't even know me. I grew wary each time he repeatedly passed by my aisle, making the slightest of chuckling noises as if he knew I was watching, he knew I was aware of him, he knew I was terrified o death.

I grew more nervous each time he smiled, he had little, sharp teeth that looked like it could rip me into two. I didn't want to imagine what my mum would think if that happened.

I watched more and more carefully now, getting bags under my eyes from the lack of sleep I've had since the departure. I tried calming myself down by glancing out the window or fiddling with my iPod but its no use. I can see him watching me from every corner of the room.

Out of the corner of my eye, I always catch the slightest most sharpest hint of a wicked smile deviously stretching into the tight corners of his face. Breathing nervously, I rapped my knuckles on the arm rest and pinch myself repeatedly.

_ I'm not afraid of you._

_ I'm not afraid of you._

_ I'm not scared._

_ You're not real._

_ Rachel Park doesn't get scared for stupid things._

Gaining some what of my courage left, I angrily thought about how if he dared touch me or even smiled at me again, I would judo-flip down the toilet in the bathroom. My ears tingled as he pushed the refreshment car me and leaned down too close to my ear.

"Judo-flip me? That's all you can think of my dear?" He whispered coldly, stroking my hair.

I jerked away and slapped his hand furiously but he only chuckled and moved on.

I wished I could believe it myself. Why hadn't anyone seen that? Done something, reported something, I'm living in a hell right now with a creepy man with nothing to fend off.

There's was no way something he would do on here nobody would notice. I squeezed my moist hands and made knuckles turn white. Nothing was going to happen, because things like being scared for something stupid doesn't happen for me. I'm 15 now, it's pathetic to be scared.

For the slightest break of when I think I'm about to lose my patience, I could faintly hear this sentence echo again and again over the chatter of the other passengers. My ear drums are screaming with the blood thumping quickly and quickly at the ghostly meaning. My shuts shut and I scream silently, clamping my hands over my ears, ridding off the world and my vision of my nightmare.

_ "Soon, my Rachel, soon."_

Then, for a millisecond, my heart stopped and when I looked out my window, I watched a blast of lightning hit the airplane.

The engine was failing quicker then I expected. People were screaming in shrill cries of fear and the plane swayed crazily while it buckled and jerked sideways. I was pushed into the corner but I was stuck under a pile of suitcases when a giant one slid out from the top and landed on my ankle.

I screamed in pain when I heard my ankle snap.

_ What the hell was I doing in a plane that was about to crash?_

My tears were streaming yet no one bothered to help. I pictured my mum getting the news my plane crashed and I died. Her heart, broken into pieces after my damn dad ditched us with the heartless world. Leaving us at its mercy.

I needed to survive, but my heart couldn't stop pounding in my ears. I thought of my mum and kicked repeatedly at them, using my leftover strength and lifting the lighter ones.

I heard people praying and more screaming they would all survive.

My chances seemed evener slim now and the plane started to quickly lose more altitude and people clutched the seats from flying out.

I grabbed my backpack and ignored the mass hysteria.

If I died, then I would die at least trying.

I noticed the guy chuckling in a seat reading a magazine when I rushed by.

Gripping him by the collar and punched him squarely in the face.

"Mess with me again," I sneered, "and the judo-flip isn't going to be the last of your problems."

The man cried out in agony but I did the most scariest thing I could ever possibly do.

I jumped and I didn't look behind.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_"Have a safe flight, alright? Promise me you'll be safe."_

_"Don't worry, mum. I've been through worse. What's the worse that could happen?"_

Dying was going to hurt, a lot.

After horrifically being thrown off an out of control airplane, I was spiraling through the air screaming at the top of my lungs as I fell closer and closer to my death. Much to my horror of knowing I would die with all my bones broken, the airplane behind me exploded in a flush of flames and debris. Blowing scraps of metal, engines, and suitcases even.

I just couldn't believe it. _All_ those people dead. It didn't seem possibly how airplane crashes like these happened. What would my mom do if she found out? It took me a while to tear my eyes away from the raging scene, my heart couldn't take it.

So, there I was. Screaming, half-sobbing, and praying some miracle out of the blue would fly in and rescue me before I plummented to my death and no one would know. Some lucky beast would find my body and savagely tear it to pieces while my rotten body would decompose leaving no trace.

I sped much quicker now as my body neared a fertile looking hill and trees. The elevation quickly went closer to the ground and I curled up in a fetal position. At least if I died I would be mush. A tight, choked cry came sobbing out of my throat when I thought of mom. Taking one last look at the horizon, I would let myself fall and die. There was no point in living, I just wasn't worth it.

Just before my exhausted body hit the spikes of the trees, an strong arm curled around my waist and I was gently hoisted up onto a saddle. Feeling something near to exhilarement or joy, my brain automatically repeated the screams of the dying souls on the plane and I could feel myself blacking out.

"Thank you," I softly whispered to my hero. And like magic, a deep, gentle force closed my eyes and I drifted into a state of sleep.

* * *

"Should I go get Rachel? She might you know, do her creepy thing she does and give some ideas."

A boyish, grinning Leo Valdez rocked gently back and forth on Chiron's old patched up rocking chair studying Chiron's puzzled face.

"My boy, is this a trick? She better not be another automaton..." Chiron chided, chuckling.

Leo sprang up from his chair, flashing a devilish grin. "I just recused her! I swear by the River Styx I did. She was plummenting through a air and I was nearby so I swooped in to save her."

"How did you get her past the borders then, my dear boy?"

Leo paused suddenly ruffling his hair through his hands. "I don't know... sir. I guess, I uh some how got her in."

Chiron reclined back into his chair, sighing. "No simple mortal can get into the borders of Camp. It is shrouded by very strong and complicated Mist. Except for those lost pizza guys we get every year, how unfortunate."

"Oh well that means-"

"she's a demigod," Chiron finished, rubbing his beard. "The Apollo healers are already on it, correct?"

Leo nodded and picked up his tool belt, pulling out a crumpled and slightly ripped letter. "This was found in her hoodie. I doubt she's mind, though. But I think you should read this."

Skimming through the letter, he pulled out a drachma and sprayed quickly some water, "O Iris, goddess of the rainbow, accept my offering for 2344 Greenbay Ave, London."

A slightly older yet gentle looking woman sighed unpatiently at a table, glancing at the phone every few minutes.

"Oh, Rachel, you said you would call..." she murmured quietly.

Chiron cleared his throat as he spoke through the mist. "Miss Park, long time no see."

The woman suddenly jumped up in surprise and stared shockingly through the mist at Chiron and Leo.

"C-chiron? Is that really you? Did she come? Please tell me she arrived safely!" Ms. Park whispered frantically.

"No need to panic, Ms. Park. Your daughter arrived safely this afternoon. She was feeling quite dizzy after the long plane ride and took a nap."

Ms. Park sighed heavily and smiled weakly. "Thank you, so much. I apologize Chiron for the trouble, I know how busy it is this time of year."

"Indeed. But do not worry, she will be safe and she will return. Camp could always use that one extra demigod."

Ms. Park smiled. "Oh, I wouldn't think so. You might want to reconsider. For a daughter of Poseidon, she is quite spirited."

_To be continued._


End file.
